Historic Florida

The best historic places in Florida will entertain, inform, and probably surprise you. As a bonus, they are also some of the most beautiful places in the state.

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Bicycling the Pinellas Trail is one of the top things to do in Dunedin, but this charming Tampa Bay area town has more to offer, with eight breweries plus great restaurants and coffee shops in its walkable historic downtown. Twenty minutes away are two excellent state parks with award-winning beaches.

Jupiter Lighthouse offers a spectacular view, an interesting history, plus great spots nearby to kayak, hike or relax for a waterfront lunch.

Lake Placid has quite a few stories to tell, and they are told in murals. On the walls of 50 buildings. All over town.

This state park is so worth a drive to explore. It would take days to experience it all – a beautiful beach, a well-preserved Civil War fort, hiking, biking, wildlife, great camping.

The Old Seven Mile Bridge, newly reopened, is again a sensation. Its history and scenic beauty make it a great place to walk or bike. The bridge ends at Pigeon Key, which you can tour to learn its fascinating story. We answer many questions about visiting the bridge.

One of the classic experiences of an Old Florida vacation was a scenic boat tour. Here are nine iconic boat tours. How many of these have you taken?

Three new art museums in St. Petersburg – each built to house extraordinary private collections – make this Florida city a destination no art connoisseur should miss. 

Pinky the flamingo is back at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, a vast place where visitors see birds, wildlife and a historic lighthouse. It’s a hidden gem in the Big Bend region.

Chinsegut Hill Historic Site in Brooksville is a rare Antebellum plantation in Florida. Beautifully preserved atop a high hill, it introduces you to remarkable people, black and white, who lived here over 180 years. What a great place to discover!

The historic Gilbert’s Bar House of Refuge couldn’t be in a prettier spot. It tells the story of a wild Florida of tall ships and pioneers. It’s one-of-a-kind, the last surviving refuge for shipwrecked sailors, and it recently reopened.

Experts believe Higgs Beach in Key West is the site of the only African refugee cemetery in the United States.

Visiting here, I found myself amazed that places like Anna Maria Island survive — a low-rise beach town with quaint cottages and a spectacular beach. No, you won’t have it all to yourself, but it’s still a special spot to discover.

A peaceful park shaded by magnificent live oaks is a good place to soak up some Florida history and take a walk or have a picnic. The battlefield tells a dramatic and thought-provoking story.

At Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park near Jacksonville, Florida’s largest Civil War battle will be reenacted, with gun smoke, booming cannons and cavalry. Three of the famous “Colored Regiments” were among 10,000 troops that fought here.

Contributing writer Doug Lyons follows a fascinating trail of historic markers to discover Florida Black history, and he invites you to come along for the ride during Black History Month.

Robert Is Here, just outside Everglades National Park, is a must-stop for my family on the basis of its fresh-fruit milkshakes alone. But we also love the menangerie out back, the exotic tropical fruits there for the tasting and the overall ambiance.